“Dreams of a Sane 21st Century Immigration Policy.”
Nov 4, 2003 brought Tim Padgett, Miami and Latin America Bureau Chief for Time
magazine to our speaker series. Tim led a terrific discussion of America’s
“dysfunctional immigration policy” and the reasons why he feels the timing is right to make some effective changes.
Padgett began by giving us an understanding of the
disparate issues that affect immigration policy. He highlighted the impact the
terrible economic situation in the Caribbean & Latin American has on our immigration policy, the security concerns raised
by the events of 9-11, and the impact of NAFTA. He saw terrorism as quite naturally fueling a desire to close our borders
to everyone. He saw NAFTA as having had a positive effect on Mexico in terms of real industrial growth. Unfortunately, Mexico’s job growth still lags their population growth. Without jobs to support their families Mexican workers reluctantly look north for work. Padgett gave a pessimistic assessment of this situation ever changing.
Padgett turned to the political dialogue surrounding this issue. Padgett
defines the classical immigration debate as arguments between the “get tough” and the “open the gates”
crowds. He feels both use “worn out” arguments that contribute to a status quo in our immigration policy. The “get tough crowd” argues we should close the borders to everyone.
This notion looses to the reality that required work would go undone if we closed our borders.
Padgett does not feel that the “open the gates” argument wins because of legitimate security concerns. Business supports a status quo as a means to cheap labor viewed essential to highly
influential industries, such as agriculture. Mexico isn’t inclined to do
much either as the $15 billion sent home by illegal workers represents an economic contribution that exceeds oil revenues,
Mexico’s largest industry. Optimistically, Padgett thinks this stalemate
is prompting Congressional innovation to assuage frustrations voiced by our border states.
Padgett outlined the most promising changes that he sees on the horizon. He
believes the abolition of the INS by the Homeland Security Act is the most positive change to U.S. immigration policy in years. He had little good to say about the INS and is hopeful that the sins of that organization
are not carried forward to a replacement agency.
Congressmen from southern
border states are leading a charge behind Congressman Flake (AZ) to create a new category of immigrant called a “guest
worker”. Their proposed legislation envisages migrant workers buying a
“biometric ID card” that would allow them to identify themselves as harmless workers and not terrorists. The card would be “priced” at the going rate charged by “people
smugglers”, dubbed “coyote mafia”, who assist illegal immigrants cross our borders. The fees would make it a self-funding program. The advantage
to all is that the workers could be tracked and they would have a status that allowed them to freely cross our border without
personal risk. It would essentially provide a legal framework for what is happening
today. Padgett sees the “biometric card” as the means to differentiate
workers that we want from illegal immigrants and terrorists.
Padgett concluded with thoughts on the need to offer alternatives to the failed social systems
of our neighbors. He feels that we must work to reform their Education, Judicial
and Economic systems. Without these reforms we are destined to be the only hope
for millions of Caribbean and Latin Americans.
